Clint And Bruce Come Out To Play
by RobinXVIII
Summary: Clint and Bruce are paired up in one of Fury's team-building games. Complete. No slash.
1. Chapter 1

Agent Barton watched from above as Doctor Banner worked on, whatever it was Clint wasn't too sure. He was hidden in a cupboard that was hidden behind a bunch of machines. It gave Clint enough room to stop him from being too cramped and the labs vents, separate from the rest of the Tower, were right above his head. So if he needed to stretch he could.

Clint had just settled himself into the cupboard again, after a quick stretch. There was some food waiting for him. He wasn't quite sure what it was or what part of the world it came from. Looking up Clint could see that Banner had turned to face him and was eating whatever it was he'd given to Clint.

They had come up with a system in which Banner could get stuff to Clint and Clint could get stuff to Banner. Doctor Banner had also set up a few objects throughout the lab so that they would reflect all possible entrances and meant that they could talk with one another if needed.

Clint had been surprised at how quickly he and Banner had worked out a shorthand, using sign language. He was just glad that Banner knew sign language. It had only taken them four hours to work out a rhythm.


	2. Chapter 2

**20 HOURS EARLIER**

They'd been eating breakfast when Fury walked in.

Steve and Tony had been bickering. Thor was on his third box of poptarts. Nat and Clint had been disscussing what they should do with their day off. And Bruce had been reading some science journal.

They'd all gone silent when Fury entered.

He had outlined his plan. They were to pair up, each taking one room in the Tower and using it as a base. He handed a box to Clint, throwing the key at Bruce, (who despite being thrown things by Tony constantly) missed it. Clint had had to hold in a sigh. It wasn't that he didn't like Doctor Banner. Just that Clint thought that S.H.I.E.L.D and the world had enough scientists. To Clint, Banner was somewhat useless. The Hulk was useful but Banner, well Clint had met a hundard people like Banner.

They watched as Thor and Nat were teamed up and then Steve and Tony. Well maybe if Banner would let the Hulk come out and play, then they would have a chance. But even if they didn't they might still might have a chance. Nat would be a challenge. Thor couldn't be quiet and as they had to pay for all the damage they caused he might struggle with Fury's game. Steve and Tony, well with them it could go either one of two ways. Either they would spend the entire time fighting or they would win. With Tony, and with Steve, if they wanted something. They would get it.

Each of them were planning in there head when Fury threw them a curveball. They could only use what they had on them now. So no weapons. And no use of enhancements, so no Hulk. He would also be the judge of when someone was out. The winners would get what was in their box and would be allowed to miss the next S.H.I.E.L.D meeting. A prize that they all wanted.

As Fury left he thre a warning over his shoulder,

"I will be watching."

* * *

Steve and Tony had quickly dissappeared off somewhere. Clint had checked the labs when he and Banner where setting up, so he knew that they weren't there. Nat and Thor had headed upwards, so were probably going for one of many roofs. Clint and Bruce had been left alone and while Clint had been running through the rooms in the Tower for options, Bruce had suggested his lab. It had taken Bruce mentioning the hidden cupboards and seperate vents for Clint to agree.

Bruce had hidden the key in one of the fridges, surrounded by deadly chemicals, most of which Clint didn't know they names off. They had then set up their systerm. Clint had had a few knifes on him when Fury had arrived so he could use those. Bruce had refused one of the knifes saying that he would be fine, and seeing that Clint didn't believe him he'd pointed out that he had been on the run from a long time, so could defend himself. He had then shown Clint a hiding place for the box. Again Clint had been unsure until he realised that even he hadn't known about this space and from his hiding space hadn't been able to find it. Bruce had only pointed it out once and Clint had seen the go-bag hidden within.

They had agreed that they should just wait to take the others out, so Clint had settled in and Bruce had continued to work on his latest project. The monitor beside Bruce was filled with shots of the rest of the Tower so they could both watch as the others went on the attack.

Bruce and Clint just settled in.

Waiting.

 **Had to get this story out, it was bugging me. More coming soon. Please review, it lets me know that you want more.**


	3. Chapter 3

Both Clint and Bruce ate in silence. Bruce had quickly signed to Clint that it was a recipe he'd picked up on the run.

Once he had finished eating Banner turned back and continued working on his latest project. Clint had spent part of his time trying to work out what it was he was working on but as far as he could tell it had something to do with radiation and some chemicals. Clint wasn't stupid, far from it, but if he wasn't interested in something than it never seemed to make any sense to him. He was brought out of his thoughts by a sign from Doctor Banner.

"Tony Down."

Clints eyes darted over to the screen. He watched as Nat stood over Tony, who appeared to have been knocked out. A dangerous smile spread across Clint's face, now he had something on Tony. Seconds after Bruce had spoken, Fury's voice came over the systerm.

"Stark is out. Mr. Rogers if you could take your teammate too medical. Agent Romanoff if you would refine from going after Mr. Rogers while he removes Mr. Stark." Clint saw the nod from Nat. She wasn't to happy about that fact. Either was he, it meant that she would be coming after him and Banner next.


	4. Chapter 4

Nat pulled herself up into one of the air-vents as Steve came out from one off the rooms. She watched as he threw Stark over his shoulder in a fireman's lift. Stark was never going to be allowed to forget this. Although the fact that he had just been walking around like nothing was going on had Nat somewhat startled.

Her own teammate Thor had been taken out within ten hours after he was hit with a spoon that Stark had had on him. His hammer, Nat still couldn't say its name, had come flying into his hands and he had caused it to suddenly start raining. Fury had kicked him out of the game and out of the Tower. Told him to go to the desert. So he had. Probably to see Jane. Nat smiled, it had made her life easier in fact having Thor out of the game. She was used to working on her own, or with Clint.

Thinking of Clint Nat started to follow Steve. She had been to check out Clint and Banner's room. Hiding a little chuckle Nat remembered how annoyed Clint had been at being paired up with Banner. Nat wouldn't have been too happy herself. It wasn't that she hated the Doctor, she was just wary off him. He was nice and had fixed up her injuries on more than once. Nat prefered him to the S.H.I.E.L.D doctors. He was quicker and was understanding of her unease around him. He was most likely used to it, only Stark seemed to be at easy around the guy.

Nat had worked out very quickly that she would never take down Clint and Banner on her own. And Fury had never mentioned anything teaming up with other teams, and Nat knew that Steve would very quickly work out that he couldn't take down Barton and Banner. (Sounds like a country band, Nat thought.) He would either get knocked out or join with Nat. Even if one of them went at it alone it would be an even match. Banner wasn't aloud to bring out the Hulk and Clint had only had one knife on him at breakfast. Nat had had four.

It might have been a day off but that didn't mean that old habits would stop.

She watched Steve drop Stark off at the medical bay and then head to check out Barton and Banner's room.


	5. Chapter 5

Steve worked out quickly that he would never take down Barton and Banner, (that really did sound like a country duo,) on his own. He had also noticed that Nat was following him in the air-vents. He didn't mind. Fury hadn't said anything about teaming up with other people. In fact that is what he and Stark had been doing when Stark had been taken down by Nat. They'd been looking for Pepper and other Stark Industry staff. Fury hadn't said that they couldn't join in, and they could use weapons. They wouldn't stop Nat or Clint but they might allow Stark and Steve, (damm, another country duo,) time to find the other boxes and keys. Nat was wearing her's around her neck and they figured that either Barton or Banner was wearing their's. J.A.R.V.I.S had told Stark where Nat and Thor had hidden their box, so Steve would have gone for that. And Stark knew every inch of his labs so he would find where Banner had hidden it.

It had been a good plan and it hadn't taken them long to come up with it. They'd then worked on taking down Thor. Good thing Stark had been holding a spoon, although what for (seeing as Stark always had toast for breakfast), thought Steve. They'd hit Thor with it from behind. Aiming for an injury the Demi-God had gotten in a long forgotten war and had been moaning about at breakfast.

After he was out they had worked out a plan to take Banner out off the game. Until they realised that he was in his lab, even Stark wasn't confident about taking the Doctor on in his lab. Not because of the weapons, but because there was always a chance that Banner could hulk-out and do some damage. Therefore they had chosen to get either Banner or Barton away from the lab and take them down.

That hadn't worked and so here they were.

Steve gave a low whistle and Nat dropped from the ceiling beside him. She handed him a knife. (Where the hell did she keep them, she was in a tank top and shorts.) They both knew that the labs each had their own set of vents. Installed after Stark and Banner kept setting things on fire and causing the fire alarm to go off.

"Doctor Banner is working on one of his projects. I can't see Clint." Nat voice came through his comms. They all kept their comms on them. Fury knowing this had made sure that they could only her their partner. He had most likely seen that Steve and Nat had paired up and opened the comms.

"We tried getting them out. Neither took the bait." Nat nodded at him. She had seen his and Stark's attempts earlier. She frowned slightly as Doctor Banner suddenly smiled.

"We take him now." Steve had also seen the smile and figured that Banner had had a breakthrough. He would be distracted. Steve pointed up at the air-vent and mouthed and said, "Through." They could make their way through the air-vent and break into the labs. Clint had done it before he told her, at breakfast, just before Fury had walked in.

"Clint?" She whispered as she pulled herself up after the Captain and they made their way towards the lab. Reaching the end of the air-vent they went to work removing the side.

"In the vents?"

"65."

Steve knew what she meant. There was a 65% chance that they would run into Barton in the vents. It was a chance that they would have to take. They moved into the labs air-vents, Nat taking the lead. She would take Barton, while Steve went for the Doctor. Once Doctor Banner was out they would both take Barton. They both knew that with both off them they had a higher chance of taking down the archer. About 85, thought Steve. They stopped above Doctor Banner, who was muttering to himself and silently dropped to the floor behind him. Back to back.

And that is when it went to hell.


	6. Chapter 6

All the Avengers, apart from Thor (who still wasn't back from visiting Jane yet,) where sat around the table in the kitchen. Steve and Nat were still trying to work out what had happened. Some how Doctor Banner, had managed to take down Steve, Captain America Steve Rogers all on his own, without even hulking-out. And then Clint had taken down Nat.

Something everyone knew she wouldn't forgive the archer for. Which was why he was stood behind the Doctor. Tony was staring at Banner with confusion, probably from the concussion Nat had given him. Fury, Hill and Coulson where stood at the end off the table watching the video footage of Banner knocking out Steve, Captain Steve America Rogers. They had been watching it for the past ten mintues, not quite beliving what they were seeing.

After Steve and Nat had been taken out, Fury had called them all back into the kitchen. When they had arrived two boxes were stood on the table. Clint and Bruce's was missing. Bruce had gone to fetch it while they all waited for Tony to arrive.

They had all taken their turn at explaining it, apart from Bruce and Clint.

Nat had told them that a second after they had landed, Clint had been on her and that they had been busy in their own knife fight. They had been careful not to damage anything in the lab, but they had destroyed one of Stark's stupid robots. (Tony had been very hurt from that and if Banner hadn't promised to help him fix it then he might have started crying.) What she didn't say was that she was sure she'd seen Banner's eyes turned slightly green. The mere thought had made her pause and allowed Clint to knock her out.

Steve had gone for Banner but the Doctor had blocked him and after a few mintues a kick from Doctor Banner had sent him backwards. It hadn't helped that one of Stark's robots had been behind him, tripping him up and that he'd knocked over some chemical. Banner had explained that it was a formula that he was working on to knock out the Hulk. It had taken Steve down. Although like Nat, Steve was sure that he had seen Doctor Banner start to turn green. It had made him pause, they didn't want a hulk-out not in one of Stark's labs, so he had paused thinking that the Doctor might need calming down (also that it would be a good distraction, allowing him too look for the box, but that wasn't the point.) The few seconds pause had allowed Doctor Banner to get that kick in. And like Nat he also didn't say that aloud.

Clint would only say that he'd been to focused on Nat to see what had happened and that he'd hadn't noticed the Doctor until he stopped Nat from stabbing him. He might have gone on if not for the look he was getting from Nat. It was at that point that he had gone to stand behind Doctor Banner.

Bruce had just said that he was lucky and that you pick up a lot when you are on the run. The three S.H.I.E.L.D agents had slightly flinched at that point, which had made the Doctor smile. (It made him look a little evil they all thought.) He refused to say anymore on the point and after he and Clint had broken over their box, (the key had been covered in chemicals during the fight,) that they all left to shower and change.

Tony was still wearing his suit, he had been going to a meeting when Fury interupted them. Pepper was going to kill him for missing it and the fact that he was missing the jacket, part of the shirt and most of the trousers. No one was quite sure where his shoes were. And Tony Stark did not wear socks. Never had and never would.

Steve was still in his gyms clothes, which had started to smell about fifteen hours ago and would now most likely end up in the bin.

Nat was in shorts and a tank top from sleeping, she'd skipped the gym that morning. Which they had all thanked god for, seeing as in her gym clothes she'd been known to hide at least ten knifes, four guns and a whip. Where she got the whip from, or where it was now no one knew. Or really wanted to know.

Thor had been dressed as usual, having come from a fight in the nine relms. He'd only stopped by to say hello and grab some poptarts on his way to see Jane.

Clint was wearing a pair of shorts and sweater. He'd also skipped gym that morning for a swim.

Bruce was wearing a pair of grey sweat pants and a green top with the Hulk drawn on the back smashing something. (Bruce did know about it. He had in fact been awake when Tony drew it.) It had been covered by a green sweater. (Again a present from Tony.)


	7. Chapter 7

Bruce was playing with the new piece of equipment that had been his prize. He wasn't quite sure what it was yet. It was something that Tony had been working on for a while and Bruce was enjoying working out what it did. He put it back in its box and moved it to a safer space on a self. He would work out what it did later on. Right now he needed some food and sleep.

At that thought Bruce yawned. He picked up his hoodie putting it on as he grabbed a pile of papers, his glasses and on seconds thoughts the box. (He didn't trust Tony not to come and play with it while he wasn't here.) Not locking his lab door behind him, Steve and Nat were waiting to go in and try and work out what had happened.

He took the stairs. (As a rule he avoided lifts whenever he could.) Opening the door to his rooms he told J.A.R.V.I.S to keep the lights off and not let anyone else in. Putting the papers and box down in his study, Bruce moved through to his bedroom taking off his hoodie and top as he went. Throwing them on his bed he realised that he had left his glasses in his study. He would need them to finish his book.

On his way to get his glasses he heard someone drop down behind him. Knowing that only Clint really spent any time in the air-vents, (Nat only went in them if she had too,) he turned to face the archer. He was correct. By the looks of it the guy was either off on a mission or had just come from training. Smiling he asked J.A.R.V.I.S to turn on the lights. When the lights came on he heard Clint's gasp. The archer had tried to hide it but he couldn't.

* * *

Clint had seen scars before, he had quite a lot off his own. But none self-inflicted. He wanted to touch them to work out how each one of them had been caused. Clint liked working out how people had got their scars, it was just another piece of the puzzle. But with Banner, Clint knew that it was more than just another piece.

"Jesus Banner. Where the hell did all those come from? I mean I have a lot of scars but..."

"None you gave yourself." Bruce finished. The Doctor sighed and moved into the kitchen. Clint followed, waiting to see if Banner would continue. He did. "Most of them are from experiments that either Ross or I performed. A few are builet wounds." Banner paused filling up two glasses with water and handing one to Clint. Clint just nodded and accepted the water, knowing that the Doctor would continue on at his own pace.

It took a few mintues, during which Clint thought about his new arrows, his prize and also something that Stark had been working on.

* * *

"A few are from where I need some release." Seeing the look that Clint was giving him Banner quickly added, "I don't do it anymore. It's been a while."

* * *

"We'll both pretend that I believe that. For Now." Barton added as an afterthought. He was going to keep a closer eye on the Doctor from now on.

"The rest. My father."

Clint saw the way that Banner's grip on his glass grew tighter and looking at the Doctor's eye's he saw the green.

"Banner."

The word came out as a warning. It wasn't that Clint didn't like the Hulk. Just not at night after two days without sleep. Banner smiled at him and blinked. The green had gone from his eyes and his hand had released it grip on the glass.

Clint started to laugh, and after a while Banner joined him. Both Nat and Steve had mumberling about seeing green in Banner before they were taken out. He hadn't believed them thinking that they were both making excuses. Apparently not.

After a few mintues Clint looked at the Doctor and saw that sly smile on his face. No longer evil, just cheecky. So he had known how to control it all this time.

"So during meetings and when..." Banner finished for him.

"No one has any interest in Tony arguing with Fury, or Steve. At least not after ten minutes. And I find what people don't know won't hurt them."

They chuckled again. Clint had been moving to return to his room. He would also quite like some sleep when J.A.R.V.I.S voice came through loud and clear.

"Fury requests the presense of the Avengers. Code Green, Doctor Banner. "

"Where?" Banner asked, pulling a top and hoodie out of a cupboard. They guy was like a squirrel.

"North Pole." J.A.R.V.I.S replied. Great, Clint just loved the cold.

They both moved quickly towards the quinjet. Banner pulling on his top and grabbing a set of headphones ipod from a table by the door. Clint took his equipment from one of Stark's robots as they moved at a steady jog.

"Ready Bruce." Clint asked as they reached the jet, joining the others. (They would pick up Thor on the way.) Turning Clint saw the Doctor smile at him. Maybe he'd been wrong about the guy. Maybe Bruce could be useful. There wasn't anyone else out there like Bruce Banner he thought as he began to check his equipment. Maybe he would spend some time and get to know him. He already liked the Hulk, so why not try and get to know the human side.

The lab would probably be a good place to start.

 **Longer than I thought that it was going to be. I just love the friendship between Clint and Bruce. I wouldn't just be doing Avenger stuff. But let me know if you like this. I love reading reviews.**

 **Thanks for reading.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer that I do not own the Avengers or any of the characters. Entirly fictional.**


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